Why do many mainstream moviegoers shy away from documentaries? I suspect it's because of the heavy topics involved. We see so much discussed about politics and the environment on TV, so some folks  aren't willing to fork over cash to see Michael Moore or Al Gore talk about it even more on the big screen. But Super High Me, with its subject matter guaranteed to raise eyebrows, will more than likely nudge at least a few unsure film fans into exploring this daunting genre.

Super High Me is quite literally based on a joke, one that was part of a night's routine for stand-up comedian Doug Benson. In the wake of Super Size Me's success, marijuana aficionado Benson proposed his own documentary, in which he'd smoke pot for thirty days straight and see what happens. As it turns out, a producer caught wind of the gag and set about turning it into a reality. But before Benson can embark on his month-long, weed-induced sojourn, he has to smoke no pot for thirty days to cleanse his system. As doctors put him through various tests in preparation for his cannabis quest, Benson finds himself going through a series of odd changes, from the occasional mood swing to even dropping a couple pounds after putting down the pipe. But all bets are off once those thirty days end and the next thirty days begin, in which Benson makes it his mission to remain as high as can be for 24 hours a day.

Although the obvious inspiration for Super High Me is Morgan Spurlock's Super Size Me, this  documentary goes beyond merely swapping fast food for enough marijuana to make Cheech and Chong blush. Like the latter film, Super High Me uses its gimmicky premise as a springboard into much deeper issues. As Spurlock cast an inquisitive eye upon the fast food industry and our nation's eating habits, Benson and director Michael Blieden look into the culture surrounding the controversial plant. The film touches upon the confusing nature of how marijuana is legal on a state level in certain places (for medicinal purposes, of course), yet the DEA is cracking down on "dispensaries" (the number of which in California went from 93 to 237 in four months) on a regular basis. Among other featured subjects include a church that's found a way to distribute pot in the Lord's name, as well as interviews with patients sick of seeing the law keep taking away the only thing relieving them of their pain.

When I say Super High Me touches upon these topics, I really mean touches. After featuring a quickie interview or throwing up some flashy animation explaining the legal mess medicial marijuana's found itself it, the film cuts back to extended scenes of Benson just, well, smoking pot. And that's it. It would help if Benson had ended up going through the drastic physical effects Morgan Spurlock suffered while chowing down on McDonald's for a month, but truth be told, his pot-fueled persona isn't that far off from his everyday demeanor. For the most part, the film goes into a routine of showing Benson lighting up, doing a show high, hanging out with other comic friends, and repeating the process over and over again. The scenes where Benson checks up with his doctor and psychiatrist seem like throwaways, as if the filmmakers just realized that they had to give their project a reason beyond giving Benson an excuse to smoke to his heart's content. Benson is a congenial  guy, though, and you do end up sticking through the film to see where his journey takes him.

Most viewers will check out Super High Me under the pretense of it being yet another stoner comedy. But, while this documentary isn't as earth-shattering or ambitious as it thinks it is, it's certainly a brainier take on the subject of drugs in today's society than you're likely to see otherwise.

MY RATING: ** 1/2 (out of ****)

(Released by Universal Studios and rated "R" for pervasive drug content and language.)